Upper-tumbler bearing and ladder-support.



No. 792,522. PATENTED JUNE 13, 1905. S. L. G. KNOX & W. FERRIS.

UPPER TUMBLER BEARING AN D LADDER SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.22

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1 @Vitvkooca No. 792,522. PATENTED JUNE 13, 1905. S. L.G. KNOX & W. PERRIS.

UPPER TUMBLER BEARING AND LADDER SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 22, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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No. 792,522 PATENTED JUNE 13, 1905.

s. L. G. KNOX & w. FERRIS.

UPPER TUMBLER BEARING AND LADDER SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED 001222, 1904.

Suva-Mow 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES Patented June 13, 1905.

PATENT OEEicE.

SAMUEL LIPPINCOTT GRISVVOLD KNOX, OF MILWAUKEE, AND WALTER FERRIS, OFSOUTH MILWAUKEE, INISOONSIN, ASSIGNORS TO THE BUCYRUS COMPANY, OF SOUTHMILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPO- RATION OF WISCONSIN.

UPPER-TUMBLER BEARING AND LADDER-SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 792,522, dated June 13,1905. Application filed October 22, 1904. Serial No. 229,655.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, SAMUEL LrPPINoorr GRIsWoLD KNOX, residing inMilwaukee, and WVALTER FERRIs, residingin South Milwaukee, county ofMilwaukee,State of Wisconsin, citizens of the United States, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Upper- Tumbler Bearingsand Ladder-Supports; and we do'hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements indredging or excavating machines, and has for its object to provideindependent concentric bearings for the upper end of the ladder and theupper-tumbler shaft to permit the tumbler-shaft to be removed andreplacedwithout removing the ladder from its normal position.

In machines of this general type it has heretofore been the practice tohinge the upper ladder end to the tower in bearings that are notconcentric with the tumbler-shaft bearings in order to permit thetumbler-shaft to be readily removed and adjusted and because of thedifiiculty of providing a suitable bearing for the ladder end, whichwould embrace the upper-tumbler shaft and not cause undue wear.

The present invention contemplates a provision'of concentric independentbearings for the ladder end and for the upper tumbler constructed andadapted to hold the ladder and upper tumbler in proper cooperativerelation to secure the most efficient operation of the bucket-chain andto permit the upper-tumbler shaft to be removed, replaced, or adjustedwithout interfering with the support of the ladder end by its bearing.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the upperportion of a dredge-tower embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is atransverse vertical section thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail view of theupper end of one of the ladder-sections. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail ofthe connection between the ladder end and its bearing. Fig. 5 representsthe segmental plate for securing the ladder end to its bearing. Figs. 6and 7 represent in plan and side elevation the casting forming thesupports for the respective bearings. Figs. 8, 9, and 10 are a planview, an end elevation, and a transverse section of the removable capfor the ladder end bearing.

Referring to the drawings, a (0 represent the framing constituting thetower of a dredging or excavating machine which supports theadjustably-inclined dredge ladder with its chain of excavating-bucketsand the usual operating accessories, all of which is familiar to thoseskilled in the art.

Mounted upon the top of the tower is the upper-tumbler shaft 6, uponwhich is rigidly secured the tumbler 0, over which the dredgeehainpasses. It is necessary, of course, that the tumbler-shaft be mounted insuitable journal-bearings, so that said shaft together with its tumblermay be freely rotated in the operation of hoisting the bucket-chain. Itis also necessary that the upper ladder end be pivoted to the tower topermit the lower end to be swung inward and outward with respect to thetower.

As a means for supporting both the ladder end and the tumbler-shaft inindependent concentric bearings two oppositely-arranged castings(designated generally by the reference-- letter (Z) are'mounted upon theupper portion of the tower. Each of said castings consists of a verticalside plate and a substantially horizontal top plate provided withanupwardly and laterally projecting bracket f, provided with a recesswhich is adapted to receive the tumbler-shaft 6 without engaging thesame. A removable cap g, secured to the milled upper face of the bracketf, closes the recess aforesaid, so that the tumbler-shaft will besurrounded but not engaged with the bracket f aforesaid. On the innerside of said bracket f and cap g there is formed acylindricalbearing-stud 7b, which of course is concentric with f rfic thetumbler-shaft Z). The inner end of said hollow bearing-stud is milledout to form an annular recess Z. The ladder, which consists of the usualstiles v 7', connected with suitable cross-braces, is provided withseparable straps or collars consisting of member j and cap Z", journaledfor swinging movement upon the hollow studs h.

In order to support the ladder when the caps ii; are removed, segmentalplates on, connected by suitable bolts to the ladder end, engage theannular recess 1 in the bracket f, so that the ladder end is held firmlyand pivotally suspended on the lower portion of the hollow studs itbetween the flanges on the segmental plates m and the lower portions 7'of the collar on the stile ends.

The top face of each casting (1 adjacent to the bracket f is providedwith a seat 0, which is adapted to receive the pillow-blocks which formthe bearing for the tumbler-shaft b. Each of said pillow-blockscomprises a base 0, bolted to the seat a, a removable cap 7), andloose-fitting brasses r 8, provided with a central annular web whichpermits the brasses to rock in the pillow-block in order to render theshaft-bearings self-alining.

It is to be noted that the bearing for the ladder end and the bearingfor the uppertumbler shaft are rigidly and accurately held in concentricalinement and that none of the weight of the ladder is imposed upon thetumbler-shaft, although the latter passes freely through theladder-bearing. By removing the caps p p, 7i 712, and y g thetumbler-shaft may be lifted out of its bearings without in the leastdisturbing the suspended relation of the ladder, which is held in anyposition to which it may have been adjusted upon the lower portion ofthe stud it h by the segmental plates m m.

hat we claim as our invention is 1. In a dredging or excavating machine,the

combination of a supporting-bearing for the ladder end, and ajournal-bearing for the 11pper-tumbler shaft concentric with theladderbearing, said bearings being independent of each other.

2. In a dredging or excavating machine, the combination of asupporting-bearing for the ladder end, a journal-bearing for theuppertumbler shaft concentric with the ladderbearing, said bearingsbeing independent of each other, and means for securing the ladder endto the bearing to permit the removal of the tumbler-shaft.

3. In a dredging or excavating machine, the combination of asupporting-bearing for the ladder end, and a self-aliningjournal-bearing for the upper-tumbler shaft concentric with theladder-supporting bearing.

4:. In a dredging or excavating machine, the combination of asupporting-bearing for the ladder end, a self-alining journal for theupper-tumbler shaft concentric with the ladderbearing, and segmentalplates connecting the ladder end with its bearing to support the ladderwhile the tumbler-shaft is being removed.

5. In a dredging or excavating machine, the combination of a tower andindependent eoncentric bearings for the ladder end and the upper-tumblershaft, said bearings comprising oppositely-arranged castings on thetower having separable self-alining bearing-blocks for thetumbler-shaft, separable hollow bearing-studs for the ladder end andsegmental plates engaging annular recesses in said studs and attached tothe ladder ends.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

SAMUEL LIIPINCOTT GRISWOlill KNOX. WALTER FERRIS. W'itnesses:

HARRY B. HAYDEN, PAUL G. Bonn.

